Clip-applying tool



June 5, 1951 SCHRQEDER 2,555,903

CLIP-APPLYING TOOL Filed Aug. 9, 1948 INVENTOR.

nrroz/v Patented June 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This inventionrelates to hand tools for auto- :matically applying conventional clipsof the kind formed from bendable metallic material, such as .steel wire,and initially having a substantially .U-shape and being bendable to aclosed looped .condition when applied.

The most important object of this invention is to provide aclip-applying tool having a pair of jaws movable toward and away fromeach other through the medium of manually operable grips .or handleshaving connection with the jaws and, also, provided with reciprocablestructure operable by movement of the jaws for automatically moving theclip to be applied to a position between the jaws where the clip can .besqueezed together in a loop-forming condition.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of aclip-applying tool as above mentioned, wherein the reciprocablestructure constitutes a plate-like plunger adapted to move .to and froma position between the jaws as the latter are shifted and to carrytherewith a clip to be applied for positioning between said jaws.

A further object of this invention is to provide a clip-applying tool ofthe aforementioned character having a resilient means in the form ofslotted leaf springs positioned on proximal-faces of the jaws forholding the clip in a position for closing by the jaws after the plungershifts to a position from between the jaws.

Other objects of this invention includethe way in which novel linkage isdisposed between the reciprocable plunger and one of the jaws foractuating .the former; the way in which a plurality of clips are fedsingly to a position within the pathof travel of the plunger when thelatter is at one end of its path of travel .away from the jaws; themanner in which a passageway is formed to present a guide for the clipsas the same move from the fed position to the position between the jaws;and the manner in which the plunger per se is .formed at one end thereofto conform to the contour of the clip as initially manufactured.

Other objects will be made clear or .becomeapparent as the followingspecification progresses, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

"Fig.1 is a top plan view of :a clip-applying tool made in accordancewith the present invention.

Fig. 2isan end elevational view thereof, parts being broken away and insection to reveal details of construction.

Fig. .3 is an inverted plan view with the casecovering plate entirelyremoved.

vFig. 4 is a perspective stretched-out view of the reciprocable plungerand its guide plate, showing the same entirely removed from the tool.it-

self; and,

Fig. 5 isa perspective view of one of the resillent holding means forthe clips, showing such holding means entirely removed from its jaw.

As might well be appreciated, the need for a simple, sturdy andeasily-operated device .for applying relatively heavy clips where neededhas "become apparent. It is appreciated that many manually operabledevices have heretofore been made for affixing clips, particularlythose'for fastening together loose leaves of paper, but heavier clipsused for tagging merchandise, joining together articles ofrelatively'strong and heavy-material and the like, are ordinarilyaffixed by hand or through use of tools not capable of feeding the"clips automatically.

The tool shown in the drawing includes an elongated hollow body broadlydesignated by the numeral 10, having a handle 12 extending .laterallyfrom one edge thereof and preferably tintegral withbody H). A secondhandle .01 grip is .mounted for movement toward and awayfrom :grip 12 asillustrated by a dotted line in Fig.

:3 of the drawing through the medium of "a pivot pin H6. The grip I4extends throughan opening 18 formed in said. edge of body 10 .havinggrip 12 extending therefrom and projects through .body .I ll'into aslot'20 formed on the opposite edge of body [0.

As shown in Fig. .2 of thedrawing, the'pivot pin 16 is entirely enclosedwithin the body J0 and is threaded into one wall thereof. One endiof thegrip [4 extends laterally, presenting a ,j aw -.-22 disposed in opposedrelationship to a jaw24-extending laterally from one end of body 1-0..Said .end of body 10 is open and a guide plate 26 mounted within bodyIn extends outwardly therefrom in the same direction as jaws 22 and .24.

Guide plate 26 has anopening 28 intermediate its ends for receiving-the,pivot pin 16 which holds plate 26 in place within body 10. Plate 26is, also, provided with an elongatedslot 30* :extending inwardly fromone end thereof, said .slot 30 being entirely disposed within-body -.llland providing clearance for a laterally-projectingstub pin 32 formedadjacentone end of a reciproca- .ble plunger 34. Plunger 34 slides uponone face of guide plate 26and has an elongated :slot 35 disposedlongitudinally therein .for clearing the pivot :pin :Hias plunger 34reciprocates.

.As-shown in Fig. .3 of the draw ing, the hollow portion of body I0extends a distance into the a follower 60. body it! through the mediumof screws or the grip 12 for pivotally receiving an elongated link 38.This said one end of link 38 is pivotally joined as at 46 directly tothe grip l2 and has an elongated cam slot 42 formed adjacent itsopposite end for receiving the stub pin 32 that projects through slot 36of plate 26. A short link 44 pivotally interconnects link 38 and grip [4as at 46 and 48, respectively.

A substantially L-shaped leaf spring 46 within the body It] is loopedaround the end of link 38 adjacent pivot pin 46 and bearing against thegripl l for yieldably holding the same separated from the grip l2 and,consequently, for yieldably holding the jaws 22 and 24 separated. A flatplate 52, removably mounted upon body In in any suitable manner,entirely encloses spring 5|],

links 38 and 44, a portion of the grip l2 and a portion of plate 26, asWell as plunger 34.

One face of the body I6 opposite to the plate 62 carries a housing 51%for an elongated spring 56 that is coiled about an axis 58 and extendsoutwardly from housing 54 for connection with Housing 54 is joineddirectly to like 62 and has an elongated rod 64 extending laterally,outwardly and at an angle from said one face of body l6. This rod 64 ispeculiarly contoured in cross section to slidably receive a plurality ofclips 66.

As clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing, these clips 66are substantially U- shaped and, more specifically, are circular and'are provided with sharpened free ends.

These clips 66 are threaded upon the rod 64 as is the follower 66, thelatter serving to yieldably hold clips 66 toward the innermost end ofrod 64 by means of the leaf spring 56.

Body H) has an opening 66 formed in that 'wall thereof opposite to plate62, communicating with the clips 66 on rod 64, said clips being fed byaction of spring 56 into the body it and in "front of one end of theplunger 34 when the latter is at one end of its path of travel withinbody iii. 'This end of the path of travel of plunger 34 is illustratedby dotted lines in Fig. 3

' the contour of clips 66.

' The proximal faces of each of the jaws 22 and 24 are provided with aresilient holding member These holding members 12 are of identicalcharacter and are joined by screws or the like 14 directly to thecorresponding jaw 22 or 24 and are arched as at 16 adjacent the free endthereof. Each of these members 12 is provided with an elongated slot 18for receiving the clips 66 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 ofthe drawing.

When mounted upon the jaws 22 and 24, members 12 curve inwardly and,since the same are resilient, they readily straighten when jaws 22 and24 are brought together for bending clip 66 into a substantially closedloop.

In operation, clips 66 are at all times held at one end of their path oftravel on rod 64 within opening 68 by means of the spring 56. When thegrips l2 and M are separated, as shown by full lines in Fig. 3 and,also, as illustrated in Fig. l, the reciprocable plunger'd l is disposedbetween the jaws 22 and 24 because of the peculiar shape and dispositionof links 38 and 44.

When the grips l2 and R4 are manually moved together by application of asqueeze action thereto, the plunger 34 slides inwardly to one end of itspath of travel, where the notched end 10 thereof clears the next clip 66to be fed through opening 68, whereby said clip 66 moves into the bodyIt in front of plunger 34. When the grips I2 and I4 are released forseparation with a consequent separation of jaws 22 and 24, the plunger34 will shift to the opposite end of its path of travel between jaws 22and 24, carrying therewith a single clip for positioning between themembers I2. Such clip will automatically be fed into the slots 18andremain therein after plunger 34 returns into the body for receivinganother clip. 7

and 24 moving together. The clips 66 will readily slip from the slots l8after the same have been formed into a loop.

Manifestly, the supply of clips 66 may beeasily replenished on rod 64 byslipping the follower 60 therefrom as spring 56 is pulled outwardly fromwithin housing 54. Clips 66 in their expanded condition have a form asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The form of the expanded clipiifi is U-shaped with the legs 66a diverging from a relatively narrow bight 66-12that forms the zone of flexure when the legs 66-a are moved together byforce exerted thereon through the movement of jaws 22 and 24.

The free ends of legs 66-a have sharpened, inturned spurs 66c that abutor overlap when a complete loop is formed by the tool. These spurs 66care substantially perpendicular to legs 66a when the clip 66 is in anopen condition, and jaws 22 and 24 exert pressure upon clip 66 at thezone of juncture between legs (ES-a and spurs 66c.

Clips 66 are usually secured together by lacquer, glue or otherfrangible substance that will allow the clips to be fed from the stickthereof by the tool as it is in operation. The clip stick has the clips66 thereof disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the stick.The clips are parallel to the outward path of travel of the clip beingfed as grip I4 is moved in one direction.

Advantages arising from disposing rod 64 at an "angle are obvious tothose skilled in the art, and

it will be further observed that manipulation is facilitated by sucharrangement. Y

It can now be appreciated that a strong, sturdy and efiicientclip-applying tool has been produced that is not, likely to get out oforder andthat requires yery little operator attention or repair.

It is desired, therefore, to be limited onlyby the spirit of thisinvention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A clip applying tool comprising a body having a jaw and a handle rigidthereto; a second handle pivotally secured to the body and movabletoward and away from said body handle; a second jaw rigid to the secondhandle and movable to ward and away from said body jaw as said sec- 0ndhandle is moved toward and away from the body handle respectively; amagazine for clips mounted on the body; and mechanism carried by thebody and operably connected with said second handle for feeding clipssingly from the magazine to a position between said jaws as said secondhandle is moved away from said body handle, said mechanism includinga'member reciprocable in a rectilinear path to and from a positionbetween the jaws, there being an element pivotally interconnecting saidbodyand said member for recip rocating the latter, and a link pivotallyjoining said element and said second handle.

EMMETT I-I. SCHROEDER,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Holland Dec. 26, 1901 GibneyOct. 14, 1919 Sommer Apr. 17, 1923 Browers Mar. 1, 1932 Sorenson July16, 1935 Curtiss Sept. 26, 1939 Maynard Apr. 2, 1940 Sorenson Nov 26,1940 Sorenson Get. 27, 1942

